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CenterPoint Energy sets 2018 annual meeting of shareholders

​Houston – March 15, 2018 - CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (NYSE: CNP) announced that the 2018 annual meeting of shareholders will be held on Thursday, April 26, 2018, at 9 a.m. CDT in the CenterPoint Energy Tower auditorium, 1111 Louisiana Street, Houston, Texas. Shareholders who hold shares of CenterPoint Energy common stock as of March 1, 2018, will receive notice of the meeting and will be eligible to vote.

CenterPoint Energy, Inc., headquartered in Houston, Texas, is a domestic energy delivery company that includes electric transmission & distribution, natural gas distribution and energy services operations. The company serves more than five million metered customers primarily in Arkansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Texas. The company also owns 54.1 percent of the common units representing limited partner interests in Enable Midstream Partners, a publicly traded master limited partnership it jointly controls with OGE Energy Corp., which owns, operates and develops natural gas and crude oil infrastructure assets. With nearly 8,000 employees, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 150 years. For more information, please visit www.CenterPointEnergy.com.

​Houston – March 14, 2018 – CenterPoint Energy has been presented with the Edison Electric Institute (EEI)'s Emergency Recovery and Emergency Assistance awards for its outstanding work following severe storms in Sealy, Texas in May 2017, Hurricane Harvey in the greater Houston area in August 2017 and for mutual assistance in Florida following Hurricane Irma in September 2017.

The honors are presented to EEI member companies to recognize outstanding efforts to restore service following a storm or other natural disaster.

Sealy Microburst

CenterPoint Energy was presented with EEI's "Emergency Recovery Award" for its outstanding power restoration efforts after storms hit Sealy, Texas in May 2017.

On May 23, severe storms with winds between 80 and 100 mph hit the community of Sealy. The torrential rain, massive hail and tornado-force winds resulted in nearly 70,000 customer outages. While the storm was isolated to only 15.5 square-miles of CenterPoint Energy's 5,000 square-mile service area, the damage to the electrical infrastructure was extreme.

Working safely and efficiently over two days, CenterPoint Energy crews dedicated more than 16,000 man-hours to the effort and replaced nine wooden transmission poles, 246 distribution poles and 356 spans of wire, restoring service to 100 percent of customers.

Hurricane Harvey

The company also received EEI's "Emergency Recovery Award" for its outstanding power restoration efforts after Hurricane Harvey in August 2017.

Hurricane Harvey was a record-breaking storm that inundated southeast Texas with nearly 52 inches of rainfall. Following landfall as a Category 4 storm, nearly 4,000 CenterPoint Energy employees and contractors, as well as mutual assistance personnel from seven states, worked safely and efficiently to restore more than 1.2 million outages over the duration of the storm.

"Hurricane Harvey was completely different from any storm we have ever seen," said Ed Scott,

director of Operations for CenterPoint Energy. "In 2008, Hurricane Ike came through our territory and the next day the sun was out and we could begin restoring service. For Hurricane Harvey, we knew that it was going to be a long road to restoration, so we prepared ourselves and our resources."

The company's technology, resources and emergency preparation allowed for an efficient power restoration process, including smart grid automation, real-time analytics, drones to assess damage and evaluate work conditions, and construction of a mobile substation providing service to more than 9,000 customers. The company also used 36 air boats and 15 amphibious vehicles to navigate high waters throughout its electric service territory.

Hurricane Irma

CenterPoint Energy was presented with EEI's "Emergency Assistance Award" for its outstanding work restoring power to customers in Florida impacted by Hurricane Irma in September 2017.

Two days after completing restoration efforts for Hurricane Harvey, nearly 200 CenterPoint Energy linemen, contract crews and support personnel embarked on a mutual assistance trip to help restore power to multiple cities in Florida following the devastating destruction of Hurricane Irma.

"We knew the need was shifting east, and we wanted to be there to help others who helped us during Hurricane Harvey," added Scott.

"When disaster impacts a region, electric companies from across the nation are called on to assist impacted companies in need – mutual assistance is a hallmark of our industry," said EEI President Tom Kuhn. "When Hurricanes Harvey and Irma struck, CenterPoint Energy answered the call to help. CenterPoint Energy's assistance to restore service to impacted customers is a terrific example of mutual assistance in action."

CenterPoint Energy, Inc., headquartered in Houston, Texas, is a domestic energy delivery company that includes electric transmission & distribution, natural gas distribution and energy services operations. The company serves more than five million metered customers primarily in Arkansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Texas. The company also owns 54.1 percent of the common and subordinated units representing limited partner interests in Enable Midstream Partners, a publicly traded master limited partnership it jointly controls with OGE Energy Corp., which owns, operates and develops natural gas and crude oil infrastructure assets. With more than 7,700 employees, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 150 years. For more information, please visit www.CenterPointEnergy.com.

2018-03-14T05:00:00Z

CenterPoint Energy to conduct pipeline inspection work

Houston – March 8, 2018 – CenterPoint Energy will begin performing planned pipeline inspection work starting today on a natural gas pipeline located near Highway 10 in Little Rock. The maintenance work is expected to last through Thursday, March 15.

lthough the public is at no risk, there will be a visible flame and those traveling in the immediate vicinity may hear a loud roaring noise throughout the test.

“We are making every effort to reduce any inconvenience to area residents and businesses; we don’t expect natural gas service to be interrupted to any homes or businesses and we do not anticipate any traffic disruptions” said Jay Reber, District Operations manager for CenterPoint Energy. “We do, however, want the public to be aware that because we will need to flare natural gas for several hours throughout the duration of the test, the public near the test location may hear a loud roaring noise similar to that of a jet engine, or see a flame, and we don’t want the public to be alarmed.”

The inspection work ensures compliance with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline Integrity Program and the Office of Pipeline Safety to ensure continued safe and reliable natural gas service.

The inspection will use a sophisticated internal inspection tool that records data on the condition of the pipeline, such as wall thickness, as it moves through the pipeline. After inspection, the data is analyzed and any necessary repairs are made.

The work will be performed between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. and during this time, the public in the immediate vicinity may hear a loud roaring sound or see a flame resulting from the flaring of the natural gas.

CenterPoint Energy will have emergency responders on site throughout the test including firefighters who approved the inspection work in the unlikely event of a problem.

“The safety of our customers and the communities we serve is our top priority,” added Reber. “We appreciate the assistance and cooperation of local first responders as we carry out this important pipeline safety work."

2018-03-08T14:30:00Z

Utility program nails it: Thousands of energy-efficient new homes being built in Minnesota Homeowners to benefit from energy savings

​Minneapolis – March 5, 2018 – CenterPoint Energy and Xcel Energy recently recognized 13 Minnesota companies with energy-efficient new home standards awards. The awards culminated the inaugural year of the companies’ new energy-efficiency offering, the High Efficiency New Homes Program. Offered to utility service area builders, the program helps increase access to energy-efficient homes in Minnesota and supported the construction of more than 4,000 energy-efficient new homes in 2017. High Efficiency New Homes are built to a higher standard, exceeding the Minnesota Residential Energy Code. Each participating home is inspected and tested by a third-party professional trained in advanced building science using the Home Energy Rating System (HERS). The HERS Index is the industry standard by which a home's energy efficiency is measured. It is also the nationally recognized system for inspecting and calculating a new home's energy performance by a HERS rater. The completed homes deliver improved quality, comfort and energy savings.

“High Efficiency New Homes benefits homeowners through lower utility bills, less environmental impact and a more comfortable home,” said Ryan Setterholm, senior administrator of efficiency programs for CenterPoint Energy.

In 2017, the program collectively saved 1.4 million kilowatts and 101,521 dekatherms, which is the equivalent of powering nearly 1,400 passenger cars for an entire year, according to the EPA greenhouse gas equivalencies calculator. CenterPoint Energy and Xcel Energy partnered with ICF to deliver the program. A global consulting services company, ICF has delivered more than 70,000 energy-efficient new homes for utility programs across the nation.

The 13 companies honored as the top performing 2017 program participants included:

​​​CalAtlantic Homes

Creative Homes

Dayton’s Bluff Neighborhood Housing Services

Delaney Company

Derrick Custom Homes

Donnay Homes

Lennar

Matrix Construction

NIH Homes

Paltrin LLC

Robert Thomas Homes

Simple Energy Testing

Werschay Homes

“We are excited to raise the bar on energy-efficient new homes in Minnesota, in collaboration with home builders and HERS raters,” said Pam Newell, Xcel Energy program manager.

The 2018 program goal is to complete more than 3,500 high-efficiency new homes. Builders can contact the utilities for professional help and to find rebate-qualifying installations for the homes they build. Participating new homes must complete a home energy rating performed by a certified home energy rater in good standing.

For more information about this program, including a list of all participating builders, contact Hannah Jansen at 1-612-253-9982 or email at Hannah.Jansen@icf.com.

About CenterPoint Energy

CenterPoint Energy, Inc., headquartered in Houston, Texas, is a domestic energy delivery company that includes electric transmission & distribution, natural gas distribution and energy services operations. The company serves more than five million metered customers primarily in Arkansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Texas. The company also owns 54.1 percent of the common units representing limited partner interests in Enable Midstream Partners, a publicly traded master limited partnership it jointly controls with OGE Energy Corp., which owns, operates and develops natural gas and crude oil infrastructure assets. With nearly 8,000 employees, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 150 years. For more information, please visit www.CenterPointEnergy.com.

About Xcel Energy

Xcel Energy (NASDAQ: XEL) provides the energy that powers millions of homes and businesses across eight Western and Midwestern states. Headquartered in Minneapolis, the company is an industry leader in responsibly reducing carbon emissions and producing and delivering clean energy solutions from a variety of renewable sources at competitive prices. For more information, visit xcelenergy.com or follow on Twitter and Facebook.

2018-03-06T19:30:00Z

Join CenterPoint Energy employees in Read Across America

​​Houston – Feb. 28, 2018 – CenterPoint Energy invites the public to help build a nation of readers by participating in Read Across America Day on March 2. Held annually on the birthday of children’s author Dr. Seuss, this event reminds adults of the value and importance of reading to children.

For Read Across America Day, CenterPoint Energy recommends its new Buddy’s Big Day digital reader promoting natural gas safety and literacy. Offered in two versions to accommodate beginning and older elementary school readers, the book can be viewed on most mobile devices. To access the book, please visit CenterPointEnergy.com/BuddysBigDay.

“By reading to a child, you help open their imagination to the broader world,” said Diane Englet, senior director of Community Relations for CenterPoint Energy. “We invite you to select your favorite children’s book, pick a time and read with a child to share the value of reading.”

CenterPoint Energy, Inc., headquartered in Houston, Texas, is a domestic energy delivery company that includes electric transmission & distribution, natural gas distribution and energy services operations. The company serves more than five million metered customers primarily in Arkansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Texas. The company also owns 54.1 percent of the common units representing limited partner interests in Enable Midstream Partners, a publicly traded master limited partnership it jointly controls with OGE Energy Corp., which owns, operates and develops natural gas and crude oil infrastructure assets. With nearly 8,000 employees, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 150 years. For more information, please visit www.CenterPointEnergy.com.

2018-02-28T16:45:00Z

CenterPoint Energy subsidiary closes on $400 million of general mortgage bonds

“We are proud to work with such a distinguished and diverse group of banks to finance our capital investment needs to support safety, customer growth, reliability projects and infrastructure programs,” said Tracy Bridge, executive vice president and president of CenterPoint Energy's Electric Division.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell, or the solicitation of any offer to buy, any security and shall not constitute an offer, solicitation or sale in any jurisdiction in which such offering would be unlawful.

This news release includes forward-looking statements. Actual events and results may differ materially from those projected. The statements in this news release regarding the use of proceeds from the offering and other statements that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. Factors that could affect actual results include the timing and impact of future regulatory and legislative decisions, effects of competition, weather variations, changes in business plans, financial market conditions and other factors discussed in Houston Electric's Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017 and Houston Electric's other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. A written prospectus may be obtained by visiting EDGAR on the SEC Website at https://www.sec.gov/.

CenterPoint Energy, headquartered in Houston, Texas, is a domestic energy delivery company that includes electric transmission & distribution, natural gas distribution and energy services operations. The company serves more than five million metered customers primarily in Arkansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Texas. The company also owns 54.1 percent of the common units representing limited partner interests in Enable Midstream Partners, a publicly traded master limited partnership it jointly controls with OGE Energy Corp., which owns, operates and develops natural gas and crude oil infrastructure assets. With more than 7,700 employees, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 150 years.

2018-02-28T06:00:00Z

CenterPoint Energy urges customers to be on alert for potential utility scams

Posing as utility company employees, scammers are using multiple tactics to tell customers they are behind on their bills and have a short time to make a payment or their service will be shut off at the meter. Don't fall victim to utility scam phone calls, emails or text messages from individuals claiming to represent CenterPoint Energy.

"Criminals posing as utility company representatives are after two things: our customers' money or personal information," said Carlos White, corporate security for CenterPoint Energy. "Current scams include service disconnection calls to small commercial businesses, job offer scams and fake payment scams. We have also heard reports of phone calls or visits from people going door-to-door trying to collect money fraudulently by claiming utility bills are overdue and must be paid immediately."

CenterPoint Energy's Manager of Data Privacy, Kevin Marquardt, added, "The practice of SMShing to steal identities is also on the rise. A SMShing attack is sent via an SMS (short message service) message – better known simply as a text message and occurs when a scammer attempts to dupe a potential victim into clicking on a malicious link in a text message on their mobile phone. Protecting personal and financial customer data is of utmost importance to CenterPoint Energy."

If you are contacted by a possible scammer, discontinue contact immediately. If something sounds too good to be true, it may be a fraud. Be aware that scammers often use Caller ID spoofing software to misrepresent the source of a phone call or provide you with a fake "verification" phone number. If you need to verify your account status, call Customer Service at 800-245-2377 or log in to your account on our website.

If you suspect a scam or fraud, report it to your local police, the FBI, the Federal Trade Commission and your local Better Business Bureau. To avoid falling victim to any scam, CenterPoint Energy reminds customers of the following:

While utility companies do contact customers whose accounts are overdue, they will first do so through the mail, only sending in-person representatives to collect payments after they have made every attempt to work with you to keep your account current. Even then, they will have proper identification and welcome you to call the utility company to verify their identity. Neither they nor phone representatives will demand that payments be made via a reloadable debit card.

Never let anyone come into your home to check electrical wiring, natural gas pipes, water pipes, or appliances unless you have scheduled an appointment or have reported a problem and always ask to see – and verify – a company identification badge before discussing account information or letting an employee near you or into your home.

Be aware that many utility companies offer payment options if your natural gas account is in arrears or if you need assistance. CenterPoint Energy customers can visit our website for assistance.

CenterPoint Energy, Inc., headquartered in Houston, Texas, is a domestic energy delivery company that includes electric transmission & distribution, natural gas distribution and energy services operations. The company serves more than five million metered customers primarily in Arkansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Texas. The company also owns 54.1 percent of the common and subordinated units representing limited partner interests in Enable Midstream Partners, a publicly traded master limited partnership it jointly controls with OGE Energy Corp., which owns, operates and develops natural gas and crude oil infrastructure assets. With more than 7,700 employees, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 150 years. For more information, visit the website at CenterPointEnergy.com.

On a guidance basis, full-year 2017 earnings were $3.93 per diluted share, which includes a one-time tax benefit of $1,113 million related to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) federal income tax rate reduction. Excluding the tax benefit, on a guidance basis, full-year 2017 earnings were $1.37 per diluted share, consisting of $0.99 from utility operations and $0.38 from midstream investments. Full-year 2016 earnings on a guidance basis were $1.16 per diluted share, consisting of $0.88 from utility operations and $0.28 from midstream investments.

Fourth quarter 2017 earnings were $2.99 per diluted share, compared to $0.23 per diluted share for the fourth quarter of 2016. Excluding the tax benefit, on a guidance basis, fourth quarter 2017 earnings were $0.33 per diluted share, compared to fourth quarter 2016 earnings of $0.26 per diluted share.

"I am very pleased with our performance in 2017. We had strong results and delivered more than 18 percent year-over-year EPS growth on a guidance basis, excluding the tax benefit," said Scott M. Prochazka, president and chief executive officer of CenterPoint Energy. "We continue to invest significant capital in our businesses to support safety, customer growth, reliability projects, and infrastructure programs."

Business Segments

Electric Transmission & Distribution

The electric transmission & distribution segment reported full-year 2017 operating income of $610 million, consisting of $535 million from the regulated electric transmission & distribution utility operations (TDU) and $75 million related to securitization bonds. Operating income for the same period of 2016 was $628 million, consisting of $537 million from the TDU and $91 million related to securitization bonds.

Full-year 2017 operating income for the TDU benefited from rate relief and customer growth with the addition of nearly 41,000 customers. These increases were more than offset by lower equity return, higher depreciation, higher operation and maintenance expenses, lower usage and lower miscellaneous revenues.

Natural Gas Distribution

The natural gas distribution segment reported full-year 2017 operating income of $328 million compared with $303 million in 2016.

Full-year 2017 operating income for natural gas distribution improved as a result of rate relief, higher transportation revenues, customer growth with the addition of more than 30,000 customers, and favorable labor and benefits expenses resulting primarily from the recording of a regulatory asset to recover prior postretirement expenses in future rates established in the Texas Gulf rate order. These improvements were partially offset by higher operation and maintenance expenses and increased depreciation and amortization.

Energy Services

The energy services segment reported full-year 2017 operating income of $125 million, which included a mark-to-market gain of $79 million, compared with $20 million in 2016, which included a mark-to-market loss of $21 million. Excluding mark-to-market adjustments, operating income was $46 million in 2017 and $41 million in 2016. The increase in operating income was primarily due to increased margin associated with increased throughput in 2017.

Midstream Investments

The midstream investments segment reported full-year 2017 equity income of $265 million, compared to equity income of $208 million in 2016.

Earnings Outlook

CenterPoint Energy expects earnings on a guidance basis for 2018 in the range of $1.50 - $1.60 per diluted share, inclusive of Enable's net income guidance of $355 - $435 million announced on Enable Midstream's fourth-quarter earnings call on Feb. 20, 2018. The guidance range assumes ownership of 54.1 percent of the common units representing limited partner interests in Enable Midstream and includes the amortization of CenterPoint Energy's basis differential in Enable Midstream and effective tax rates. CenterPoint does not include other potential Enable Midstream impacts on guidance, such as any changes in accounting standards or unusual items.

The guidance range considers utility operations performance to date and certain significant variables that may impact earnings, such as weather, throughput, commodity prices, effective tax rates, financing activities, and regulatory and judicial proceedings to include regulatory action as a result of recent tax reform legislation.

In providing this guidance, CenterPoint Energy uses a non-GAAP measure of adjusted diluted earnings per share that does not consider other potential impacts, such as changes in accounting standards or unusual items, earnings or losses from the change in the value of the ZENS securities and the related stocks, or the timing effects of mark-to-market accounting in the company's Energy Services business.

Filing of Form 10-K for CenterPoint Energy, Inc.

Today, CenterPoint Energy, Inc. filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended Dec. 31, 2017. A copy of that report is available on the company's website, under the
Investors section. Other filings the company makes with the SEC and certain documents relating to its corporate governance can also be found under the Investors section.

Webcast of Earnings Conference Call

CenterPoint Energy's management will host an earnings conference call on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2018, at 10:00 a.m. Central time/11:00 a.m. Eastern time. Interested parties may listen to a live audio broadcast of the conference call on the company's website under the
Investors section. A replay of the call can be accessed approximately two hours after the completion of the call and will be archived on the website for at least one year.

CenterPoint Energy, Inc., headquartered in Houston, Texas, is a domestic energy delivery company that includes electric transmission & distribution, natural gas distribution and energy services operations. The company serves more than five million metered customers primarily in Arkansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Texas. The company also owns 54.1 percent of the common units representing limited partner interests in Enable Midstream Partners, a publicly traded master limited partnership it jointly controls with OGE Energy Corp., which owns, operates and develops natural gas and crude oil infrastructure assets. With nearly 8,000 employees, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 150 years. For more information, please visit www.CenterPointEnergy.com.

This news release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are based upon assumptions of management which are believed to be reasonable at the time made and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. Actual events and results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Any statements in this news release regarding future earnings, and future financial performance and results of operations, including, but not limited to earnings guidance, targeted dividend growth rate and any other statements that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. Each forward-looking statement contained in this news release speaks only as of the date of this release. Factors that could affect actual results include (1) the performance of Enable Midstream Partners, LP (Enable), the amount of cash distributions CenterPoint Energy receives from Enable, Enable's ability to redeem the Series A Preferred Units in certain circumstances and the value of CenterPoint Energy's interest in Enable, and factors that may have a material impact on such performance, cash distributions and value, including factors such as: (A) competitive conditions in the midstream industry, and actions taken by Enable's customers and competitors, including the extent and timing of the entry of additional competition in the markets served by Enable; (B) the timing and extent of changes in the supply of natural gas and associated commodity prices, particularly prices of natural gas and natural gas liquids (NGLs), the competitive effects of the available pipeline capacity in the regions served by Enable, and the effects of geographic and seasonal commodity price differentials, including the effects of these circumstances on re-contracting available capacity on Enable's interstate pipelines; (C) the demand for crude oil, natural gas, NGLs and transportation and storage services; (D) environmental and other governmental regulations, including the availability of drilling permits and the regulation of hydraulic fracturing; (E) recording of non-cash goodwill, long-lived asset or other than temporary impairment charges by or related to Enable; (F) changes in tax status; (G) access to debt and equity capital; and (H) the availability and prices of raw materials and services for current and future construction projects; (2) industrial, commercial and residential growth in CenterPoint Energy's service territories and changes in market demand, including the effects of energy efficiency measures and demographic patterns; (3) timely and appropriate rate actions that allow recovery of costs and a reasonable return on investment; (4) future economic conditions in regional and national markets and their effect on sales, prices and costs; (5) weather variations and other natural phenomena, including the impact of severe weather events on operations and capital; (6) state and federal legislative and regulatory actions or developments affecting various aspects of CenterPoint Energy's and Enable's businesses, including, among others, energy deregulation or re-regulation, pipeline integrity and safety and changes in regulation and legislation pertaining to trade, health care, finance and actions regarding the rates charged by our regulated businesses; (7) tax reform and legislation, including the effects of the comprehensive tax reform legislation informally referred to as the TCJA and uncertainties involving state commissions' and local municipalities' regulatory requirements and determinations regarding the treatment of excess deferred taxes and CenterPoint Energy's rates; (8) CenterPoint Energy's ability to mitigate weather impacts through normalization or rate mechanisms, and the effectiveness of such mechanisms; (9) the timing and extent of changes in commodity prices, particularly natural gas, and the effects of geographic and seasonal commodity price differentials; (10) problems with regulatory approval, construction, implementation of necessary technology or other issues with respect to major capital projects that result in delays or in cost overruns that cannot be recouped in rates; (11) local, state and federal legislative and regulatory actions or developments relating to the environment, including those related to global climate change; (12) the impact of unplanned facility outages; (13) any direct or indirect effects on CenterPoint Energy's facilities, operations and financial condition resulting from terrorism, cyber-attacks, data security breaches or other attempts to disrupt CenterPoint Energy's businesses or the businesses of third parties, or other catastrophic events such as fires, earthquakes, explosions, leaks, floods, droughts, hurricanes, pandemic health events or other occurrences; (14) CenterPoint Energy's ability to invest planned capital and the timely recovery of CenterPoint Energy's investment in capital; (15) CenterPoint Energy's ability to control operation and maintenance costs; (16) actions by credit rating agencies; (17) the sufficiency of CenterPoint Energy's insurance coverage, including availability, cost, coverage and terms; (18) the investment performance of CenterPoint Energy's pension and postretirement benefit plans; (19) commercial bank and financial market conditions, CenterPoint Energy's access to capital, the cost of such capital, and the results of CenterPoint Energy's financing and refinancing efforts, including availability of funds in the debt capital markets; (20) changes in interest rates and their impact on CenterPoint Energy's costs of borrowing and the valuation of its pension benefit obligation; (21) changes in rates of inflation; (22) inability of various counterparties to meet their obligations to CenterPoint Energy; (23) non-payment for CenterPoint Energy's services due to financial distress of its customers; (24) the extent and effectiveness of CenterPoint Energy's risk management and hedging activities, including, but not limited to, its financial and weather hedges; (25) timely and appropriate regulatory actions allowing securitization for any future hurricanes or natural disasters or other recovery of costs, including costs associated with Hurricane Harvey; (26) CenterPoint Energy's or Enable's potential business strategies and strategic initiatives, including restructurings, joint ventures and acquisitions or dispositions of assets or businesses (including a reduction of CenterPoint Energy's interests in Enable, whether through its decision to sell all or a portion of the Enable common units it owns in the public equity markets or otherwise, subject to certain limitations), which CenterPoint Energy cannot assure will be completed or will have the anticipated benefits to it or Enable; (27) acquisition and merger activities involving CenterPoint Energy or its competitors; (28) CenterPoint Energy's or Enable's ability to recruit, effectively transition and retain management and key employees and maintain good labor relations; (29) the ability of GenOn Energy, Inc. (formerly known as RRI Energy, Inc., Reliant Energy and RRI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of NRG Energy, Inc. (NRG), and its subsidiaries, currently the subject of bankruptcy proceedings, to satisfy their obligations to CenterPoint Energy, including indemnity obligations; (30) the outcome of litigation; (31) the ability of retail electric providers (REPs), including REP affiliates of NRG and Vistra Energy Corp., formerly known as TCEH Corp., to satisfy their obligations to CenterPoint Energy and its subsidiaries; (32) changes in technology, particularly with respect to efficient battery storage or the emergence or growth of new, developing or alternative sources of generation; (33) the timing and outcome of any audits, disputes and other proceedings related to taxes; (34) the effective tax rates; (35) the effect of changes in and application of accounting standards and pronouncements; and (36) other factors discussed in CenterPoint Energy's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended Dec. 31, 2017, and other reports CenterPoint Energy or its subsidiaries may file from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures by CenterPoint Energy in Providing Guidance

In addition to presenting its financial results in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), including presentation of net income and diluted earnings per share, CenterPoint Energy also provides guidance based on adjusted net income and adjusted diluted earnings per share, which are non-GAAP financial measures. Generally, a non-GAAP financial measure is a numerical measure of a company's historical or future financial performance that excludes or includes amounts that are not normally excluded or included in the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure. CenterPoint Energy's adjusted net income and adjusted diluted earnings per share calculation excludes from net income and diluted earnings per share, respectively, the impact of ZENS and related securities and mark-to-market gains or losses resulting from the company's Energy Services business. CenterPoint Energy is unable to present a quantitative reconciliation of forward looking adjusted net income and adjusted diluted earnings per share because changes in the value of ZENS and related securities and mark-to-market gains or losses resulting from the company's Energy Services business are not estimable.

Management evaluates the company's financial performance in part based on adjusted net income and adjusted diluted earnings per share. We believe that presenting these non-GAAP financial measures enhances an investor's understanding of CenterPoint Energy's overall financial performance by providing them with an additional meaningful and relevant comparison of current and anticipated future results across periods. The adjustments made in these non-GAAP financial measures exclude items that Management believes does not most accurately reflect the company's fundamental business performance. These excluded items are reflected in the reconciliation tables of this news release, where applicable. CenterPoint Energy's adjusted net income and adjusted diluted earnings per share non-GAAP financial measures should be considered as a supplement to, and not as a substitute for, or superior to, net income and diluted earnings per share, which respectively are the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures. These non-GAAP financial measures also may be different than non-GAAP financial measures used by other companies.

2018-02-22T06:00:00Z

New team of CenterPoint Energy crews arrive in Puerto Rico to support ongoing power restoration efforts

​Houston – Feb. 12, 2018 – A new team of 70 CenterPoint Energy employees arrived in Puerto Rico over the weekend, joining the more than 1,500 crews from other U.S. utilities that are helping Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) restore power following the devastation of Hurricane Maria. This second team of skilled linemen replaced the initial 70 employees who have been working on the island since mid-January.

"We continue to make progress having restored power to nearly 1,500 residents in the Arecibo area since we arrived on the island," said Ed Scott, director of operations for CenterPoint Energy. "Because of the logistical and geographical challenges, this mission has been unique. Crews will often work all day to restore service to only a handful of residents. But our employees are highly skilled and dedicated to the task at hand, having replaced 152 poles and more than 1,400 spans of wire to date."

Extensive portions of Puerto Rico's electric grid are located in rugged, mountainous terrain that has little or no road access due to Hurricane Maria's impact. Some customers may not be able to receive power to their homes or businesses because of their location and damage from the storm.

"CenterPoint Energy crews continue to work hand-in-hand with other utilities to overcome these challenges. It's immensely gratifying to turn the lights on for the residents of Puerto Rico," added Scott.

In late October, the Edison Electric Institute (EEI) and the American Public Power Association (APPA) received a request from PREPA to support power restoration efforts on the island. In early November, PREPA expanded its aid request to include the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA).

As a result, a team of electric company storm response experts has been on the ground coordinating closely with local officials, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The team has been focused on assessing damages and formalizing a structure for supporting logistics, equipment needs and supply chain issues, as well as ensuring ongoing restoration efforts are completed safely, effectively and efficiently.

CenterPoint Energy is part of electric utility mutual assistance programs that provide access to thousands of linemen and tree trimmers from around the country to lend a hand during widespread power outage emergencies. Coming to the aid of other utilities is nothing new to CenterPoint Energy employees. Over the years, crews have responded and restored power to hundreds of thousands of customers throughout the country who have been left in the dark following hurricanes, ice storms, tornadoes and severe thunderstorms.

"At CenterPoint Energy, we take pride in the work we do and our commitment to serving our communities. Whenever a storm approaches, we have a plan in place and proactively respond to the emergency. Then, we work hard to restore power as quickly and safely as possible," said Ed Scott, director of operations for CenterPoint Energy.

On May 23, severe storms with winds between 80 and 100 mph hit the community of Sealy. The torrential rain, massive hail and tornado-force winds resulted in nearly 70,000 customer outages. While the storm was isolated to only 15.5 square-miles of CenterPoint Energy's 5,000 square-mile service area, the damage to the electrical infrastructure was extreme.

Working safely and efficiently, CenterPoint Energy crews replaced nine wooden transmission poles, 246 distribution poles and 356 spans of wire (See restoration photos). Crews restored service to 100 percent of customers within two days, dedicating more than 16,000 man-hours to the effort.

"The tireless work by CenterPoint Energy's crews during the Sealy Microburst exemplifies our industry's commitment to customer service," said EEI President Tom Kuhn. "CenterPoint Energy's crews worked diligently to safely restore service to customers, and are very deserving of this award."

The award is presented to EEI member companies to recognize their extraordinary efforts to restore power to customers after service disruptions caused by severe weather conditions or other natural events. The winners were chosen by a panel of judges following an international nomination process, and the awards were presented during EEI's Winter Board and Chief Executives Meeting in Scottsdale.